Book holder



` April 20, 1943. E. THYs ET AL 2,317,001

BOOK HOLDER Filed Aug. l2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /20 22 I .77 '.IEJ- 2" Y INVENTORS. [00am/e0 7`Hrs ATT'NEX E. THYS ET AL BOOK HOLDER April 20, 1943.

Filed Aug. i2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m J\ @M fw H w d@ 6 my@ @B TTO/E/VEX Patented Apr. 20, 1943 BOOK HOLDER Edouard Thys and George L. SclatebBooth, Sacramento, Calif., assignors to Thys & Miller, Sacramento, Calif., a copartnership consisting of Edouard Thys and Albert K. Miller Application August 12, `194,2,

6` Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in reading stands and particularly to improvements in the means for supporting the book in inverted reading position.

An important object of the invention is to provide supporting means which can be easily and quickly adjusted by an invalid while lying on his back and using only one arm.

A further object of the invention is to provide supporting means which do not obscure the printed portion of the page.

A further object of the invention is to provide supporting means which can be quickly adjusted to accommodate various sized books by a patient using only one arm.

A further object of our invention is to provide one rigid and one movable shelf whereby short supporting means can be used which will not cover any printed matter.

A further object of our invention is to provide a combination reading stand and bed table.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a book in place in inverted position;

liig- 2 is a view in cross-section taken on the line II-II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the device in relation to a hospital bed;

Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of the device arranged as a bed table;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the device of Fig. 4 in relation to a hospital bed;

Fig. 6 is a View in perspective of a modication;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional detail of the runner; and

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the runner.

One of the problems in providing a book rack for use by injured service men and others who are immobilized and compelled to lie on their backs for long periods is to have an arrangement of the supporting elements so that the invalid can manipulate the device with one arm and without assistance from a nurse or attendant. We have found that the device now to be described is capableof complete manipulation by the invalid with one hand.

The numeral I0 denotes a backboard, preferably flat and having a rigid shelf I I secured along Serial No. 454,484

one edge and an adjustable shelf I2 adapted to slide over its surface.

Backboard I0 is supported by means of a cross-rod I3 held in a swivel block I4, which in turn is supported by stand-rod I5, the latter being mounted in any suitable floor base member I6. The details of these last features may be varied, and backboard I0 may be supported by other means.

Adjustable shelf I2 is made of a length equal to the length of backboard I0 and has friction lock straps Il secured at each end by means of screws I8 or other suitable fastenings. Each strap extends beyond backboard I0 and has a hole 20 adapted to receive a tension rod 2I threaded at one or both ends to receive a lock nut 22. By loosening lock nut 22 adjustable shelf I2 can be moved vertically over the face of backboard I0 and thus be spaced the desired distance from shelf II to receive a book or magazine between the two shelves. Between these two shelves extends the connector 23 fitted in holes 24, 25 in shelves I2 and II respectively.

Adjacent the front face of shelves II and I2 may extend a slide section or track 25 suitably secured to the shelves and having bent portions 21 and 28 adapted to receive a runner 30 having a complementary bent portion 3|. Thus, runner 30 is supported in slide 26 for right and left movement. While we have shown four such runners 30, a larger number could be `used if holding pages which are particularly limp. Also, it is obvious that other forms of track or slide section could be substituted for section 26 used here to illustrate the combination of the invention. Cross-rod I3 is tted in swivel block I4 with a push lit so that when wing nut 33 is tightened, cross-rod I3 is held against movement.

The operation of our device is as follows:

Assume that the patient desires to place in the reading stand a copy of The Readers Digest, which is a magazine about 5%" by "l5/S, and that the patient has but one arm free with which to do it. The rststep is to rest the bottom of the back binding on shelf I I and note how high the binding extends on connector 23. Preferably connector 23 has various colored bands 50. 5I, 52, 53, etc. along its length about one-half inch in width, so that the patient can easily remember by color the position of the binding while taking this measurement. The next step is for the patient to lay the book down and to loosen lock nut 22 only enough so that he can move adjustable shelf I2 up or down as the case requires.

Shelf I2 is moved until its lower face comes to the correct point on connector 23. The patient then tightens lock nut 22. The next step is for the patient to open the book to about its middle and slip half of the pages in behind connecter 23 so that the book hangs across and is supported by it. The next step is to close the book as it hangs suspended on connector 23 and lay it back against the right half of backboard Ill. While thus holding it with the thumb, the ngers can move righthand runner 30 on shelf I2 into position to support the leaves of the book. The right-hand runner on shelf II is similarly moved into Vposition. The next step is for the patient to move the left-hand pair of runners 30 into a position spaced about the same distance from connector 23 as the right-hand runners. In this connection, and to assist in this spacing of the runners, we prefer to have various colored squares 4D marked off along the face 27 of slide sections 25. Matched color squares will be equidistant from hole 24. The patient can now easily slide the cover from under the right-hand runners 39 and move it into position behind left-hand runners 30.

Because shelf I2 can be readily adjusted with relation to shelf II to accommodate books or magazines of various sizes, it is possible and preferable to have runners 3G of such a dimensionthat they do not obscure the printed matter on the page.

Also, by having them easily moved to the right or left, the patient can easily adjust them if, `duringthe turning of the pages, the center of the weight should shift or the pages tend to bulge and fall down. l

Turning of the pages is effected by pushing the page towards the center of the book and slightly towards the board at the same time, and having thus released the page from the right-hand runners, it is turned and pushed or slid under the left-hand runners, where it remains held by them.

The modification shown in Fig. 6, instead of employing the tension rod 2i, lock nut 22 and friction lock straps Il, has adjustable shelf I2 held to backboard I0 by means of threaded bolts 4I having Wing nuts 42. Backboard IIl is slotted at 43 to receive bolts 4I and permit movement of adjustable shelf I2. Other than this the structure is like the one illustrated in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have shown the means by which the reading stand can be converted into a bed table. This is accomplished by leg 6i! hinged to adjustable shelf I2 and leg 6I hinged to shelf I I. Legs. 6D and 6I are secured by means of bolts 62 and 63 respectively and wing nuts 64 and 65. When the device is to be used as a table, lock nut 22 is loosened and adjustable shelf I2 is removed from the end of backboard I0 and replaced thereon with the shelf extending in the direction opposite to shelf II. When legs 60 :and 6I are not in use, they are folded up into the position shown in Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the forms of our invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. In a reading stand, the combination of a backboard, a shelf secured adjacent one edge thereof, an adjustable shelf thereon, a connector extending between said shelves and spaced outwardly from said backboardrunners, and means secured adjacent the faces of said shelves for supporting said runners thereon whereby the latter may be moved toward or away from said connector.

2. In a reading stand, the combination of a backboard, a shelf secured adjacent one edge thereof, an adjustable shelf thereon, means supported by said shelves and spaced outwardly from said backboard for engaging the center portion of a book, runners, and means secured adjacent the faces of said shelves for supporting said runners thereon whereby the latter may be moved toward or away from said connector.

3. In a reading stand, the combination with a backboard of a member projecting therefrom along one edge, a second member spaced from and arranged parallel with said last-named member adapted to be moved toward or away from said last-named member, means for securing said second member in adjusted position on said backboard and slidable means secured to said first and second named members for supporting Vthe leaves of a book held therebetween.

4. In a reading stand, the combination with a backboard of a member projecting therefrom along one edge, a second member spaced from and arranged parallel with saidY last-named member adapted to be moved toward or away from said last-named member, means for securing said second member in adjusted position on said backboard, a connector extending between said rst and second named members and spaced away from the face of said backboard, and slidable means secured to said iirst and second named members for supporting the leaves of a book held therebetween.v

5. In a reading stand, the combination of a backboard, a shelf secured adjacent one edge thereof, an adjustable shelf thereon, means supported by said shelves and spaced outwardly from said backboard for engaging the center portion 50.

of a book, means for supporting said backboard in convenient readingI position, runners, and means secured adjacent the faces of said shelves for supporting said runners thereon whereby the latter may be moved toward or away from said connector.

6. In a reading stand, the combination with a backboard of a member projecting therefrom along one edge, a second member spaced from and arranged parallel with said last-named member adapted to be moved toward or away from said last-named member, means for securing said second member in adjusted position on said backboard, means for supporting said backboard in convenient reading position, and slidable means secured to said first and second named members for supporting the leaves of a book held therebetween.

EDOUARD THYS. GEORGE L. SCLATER-BOOTH. 

